Kirk DeMicco
Kirk DeMicco is a prominent writer and director in the animated film industry, recognized for his work on movies such as *Space Chimps* (2008) and *The Croods* (2013) along with its sequel, *The Croods: A New Age* (2020). Born and raised in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, DeMicco developed an early passion for filmmaking by creating short films with action figures. He pursued higher education at the University of Southern California, where he initially studied economics and political science before shifting his focus to film. His career took off after he sold a script to Warner Brothers, leading to various roles that included writing for notable animated projects.
DeMicco's directorial debut, *Space Chimps*, showcased his unique storytelling, although it received mixed reviews. In contrast, *The Croods* was a commercial success, grossing over $580 million worldwide and earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. Beyond these films, he has contributed to a range of projects, including the Apple TV+ series *The Croods: Family Tree* and the 2021 film *Vivo*. DeMicco lives in California with his wife and twins, continuing to make significant strides in animation.
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Kirk DeMicco
Screenwriter
- Born: May 15, 1969
- Place of Birth: Wyckoff, NJ
Contribution: Kirk DeMicco is a writer and director best known for the animated films Space Chimps (2008) and The Croods (2013) and its 2020 sequel, The Croods: A New Age.
Background
DeMicco grew up in a suburban neighborhood in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. As a child in the late 1970s, he made films with his Star Wars action figures using a Super 8 camera. DeMicco was inspired to pursue a career in animation by early cartoons he watched as a child, especially Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera cartoon programs.
DeMicco attended the University of Southern California, where he majored in economics and political science. DeMicco spent his junior year at the University of Canterbury in Kent, England, where he joined a local film club. After graduating in 1991, DeMicco spent three years in Rome, Italy, and found a job working for the Italian film publication Foreign Sales, where it was his task to interview Italian distributors, producers, and filmmakers.
Following his time in Rome, DeMicco moved to New York City with the hopes of entering the film business. He eventually earned a position in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency. He worked his way to a production assistant position at the talent agency, but was transferred back to the mailroom following a round of layoffs at the company. In 1994, DeMicco transferred to the Los Angeles office of William Morris, where he established a network through which he began marketing himself as a screenwriter.
Career
DeMicco’s first success in the film industry came by way of writing and selling story ideas. The first script that he sold was a thriller entitled A Day in November, which he sold to Warner Brothers for $1 million following a bidding war between major studios over the rights to the script. Around this time, DeMicco befriended director Barry Sonnenfeld, known for the films Get Shorty (1995) and Men in Black (1997). Sonnenfeld became a mentor to DeMicco, helping him market himself in the business. DeMicco then cowrote the screenplay for the 1998 Warner Brothers animated film Quest for Camelot, based on the novel The King’s Damosel by Vera Chapman.
For several years, DeMicco worked anonymously as a production and writing assistant until he was asked to be one of the storywriters for the Warner Brothers film Racing Stripes (2005), about a zebra who becomes a champion racehorse. The film, which DeMicco coproduced and which stars Frankie Muniz and Bruce Greenwood, received generally positive reviews. Over the next couple of years, DeMicco continued to write for television and video productions, including the screenplay for Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (2005) and the story for Casper’s Scare School (2006).
DeMicco’s directorial debut was the 2008 animated film Space Chimps, which he also wrote the screenplay for. The idea for the film began when DeMicco was in college and learned about Ham the Chimp, one of the chimpanzees sent into space for the NASA space program. This gave DeMicco the idea to tell the story of one of Ham’s descendants, resulting in the story for Space Chimps. DeMicco recruited an all-star cast for the comedy, including veteran actor Jeff Daniels and comedians Andy Samberg, Patrick Warburton, and Cheryl Hines. The film received relatively poor reviews, though some critics praised the animation style and inventiveness of the story.
DeMicco next directed The Croods. Released in 2013, this animated film is about a prehistoric family forced to make a perilous journey to find a new home. DeMicco cowrote the script for the film with British actor-comedian John Cleese and Chris Sanders, an animator-director known for the films Lilo & Stitch (2002) and How to Train Your Dragon (2010). Sanders has written for a number of Disney films, including The Lion King (1994).
The original concept for The Croods came about in 2004, when it was designed as a stop-motion animation by Aardman Animations and slated for production by DreamWorks. After Sanders joined the team as a director and writer in 2007, the film was made into a computer animation project. Sanders and DeMicco placed the project on hold later that year to complete other projects before reuniting in 2010 to continue working on the film.
The Croods features an all-star cast including Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, and Cloris Leachman. The film ultimately grossed over $580 million worldwide and was nominated for a 2014 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. DeMicco soon began working on a sequel to the film. The Croods: A New Age arrived in theaters in 2020. Though he was not involved in writing The Croods: Family Tree, the series debuted in 2021. He also wrote the screenplay for the 2021 film Vivo. It stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote original songs for the animated feature. He directed and contributed to the 2023 animated feature Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken.
Impact
Having worked with major animation companies like DreamWorks, DeMicco has become a well-known success in the film animation industry. Although his first directorial effort, Space Chimps, received mixed reviews, audience and critical reception to The Croods was much more positive and had great success at the box office, earning DeMicco an Oscar nod. DeMicco is set to remain a contributor to numerous animated film projects in years to come.
Personal Life
DeMicco and his wife Kacy DeMicco are the parents of twins named James and Alessia. The family lives in California.
Bibliography
Bell, Susan. “Crood Awakening.” Rev. of The Croods, dir. Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders. USC Dornsife. University of Southern California, 7 May 2013. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.
Brodesser, Claude. “Twits Pic Pleases Cleese.” Variety. Penske Business Media, 4 Feb. 2003. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.
DeMicco, Kirk, and Chris Sanders. “The Croods Directors Reveal How DreamWorks Animation’s Caveman Comedy-Adventure Evolved.” Interview by Jim Hill. Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.
Derakhshani, Tirdad. “The Croods Explores Prehistoric Parent-Children Relationship.” Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia Media Network, 22 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.
Engel, Allison. “Alumni Profile – Class of ’91: Monkeying Around.” Trojan Family Magazine. University of Southern California, 1 Aug. 2008. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.
"Kirk DeMicco." IMDb, 2023, www.imdb.com/name/nm0210320/. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
Sanders, Chris, and Kirk DeMicco. “The Croods Directors Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco Interview.” Interview by Web Behrens. Hipsqueak. Time Out Chicago, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.